Stop-work order · red tag · notice of violation
The county stopped your job.
Here's how it restarts.
Most stop-work orders in Metro Atlanta come down to one thing: no licensed contractor responsible for the work. Transparent Permits fixes that today — Transparent Maintenance is the licensed contractor of record for the permitted scope: James Claxton approves the scope, obtains the permit from the county or city with jurisdiction, and supervises the permitted work through the required inspections and final approval.
First 24 hours
Do these three things
- 1
Stop, and keep the notice
Don't touch the work. Photograph the notice and the site as it stands today — the county will ask, and so will James.
- 2
Write down the scope, budget, and who's doing the work
What was being built, by whom (with license numbers), and the total project budget. If the city already rejected drawings, have those handy too.
- 3
Bring in a licensed contractor of record
That's this page. Five minutes online, and James reviews the scope and starts the filing the same day. The Partner tier covers drawings and plan-review comments if the city has already pushed back.
Which tier
Red tag with plans in hand, or without?
Permit Kit · $1,500
Straightforward residential projects with licensed subcontractors already lined up, and stop-work orders where the plans exist.
Start with the Permit KitPermit Partner · $2,500
Additions and sunrooms, projects that need drawings, or anything the city has already pushed back on.
Start with the Permit PartnerNot sure? Book a call with James — he'll read the notice with you. Check your county.
Not ready to buy yet?
Get the first-24-hours checklist by email
Questions
Stop-work order questions
What does a stop-work order in Georgia actually mean?
The building department found work happening without a valid permit, without a licensed contractor on the permit, or outside what the permit allows. It is an order to stop, not a fine by itself — but the project can't legally continue until the permit issue is fixed.
Can I keep working while the permit is pending?
No. Metro Atlanta counties expect the site to stay stopped until a permit is issued. Use the time to gather what the county will want: before photos, a written scope, the total budget, and license numbers for the contractors who'll do the work.
Will the county charge me extra for starting without a permit?
Many Georgia jurisdictions charge an investigation fee or double the permit fee when work started without one. Those fees are set by, and paid to, the county or city; they are separate from the Transparent Permits price.
Does James have to take over my project?
He has to be the contractor for the permitted scope — that's what the county is asking for, and what his license requires. He approves the scope, pulls the permit, and supervises the work through inspections. You keep your schedule and your licensed subcontractors. Unlicensed crews can't do permitted work over $2,500 under anyone's license, so if that's who was on site, we'll talk about the compliant path before you pay.
The red tag was for electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work. Can you fix that?
Those permits are pulled by the licensed trade contractor doing the work. If the project also has a general scope, Transparent Maintenance can be contractor of record for that part and coordinate with your licensed trade sub.
How fast can this happen?
Fast. Accept the agreement and pay online; James reviews the scope within two business days — usually sooner for a red-tagged site — and files as soon as he approves it. County processing times are the county's; we start the clock as early as it can start.
General information, not legal advice. Transparent Permits is a private service of Transparent Maintenance, Inc..